The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-09-24
In View Of Death.
BY NJ. E. HoLAIIAN.

Before the pier4sslss in Mrs. Lyman's AZ
tistic parlor, a tail young lady is standing
She has just come off victor in heated
discussion with her aunt concerning the
man they are bound that she will marry
willy-nilly, and is resting on her laurels.
Although not exactly beautiful, Gather
inc Grey is a woman who wins a second
look where women more perfect are passed
idly by.
A person who would always inspire al
interest wholly unique, apart from either
women.
So thinks Mrs. Lyman as her eyes follow
and dwell on the graceful figure Of hel
niece, who has come from her city toll with
a pen, for few weeks retreat and rest in
this charming county home by the opal
tinted sea.
"You look sweet and tractable enough,
Catherine" she says. "Yet, you really are
most absurdly unmanageable and independ.
ent. If only you would marry Rich
now
Her niece smiles lazily while pulling Oh
her long gauntlets, and breaks in.
..The young woman that l see before
me" she remarks, with an approving nod
at her own handsome reflection, is twenty.
three years old, Aunt May. She is quite
old, ugly and sensible enough, should
Judge, TO follow her own devices, and man
age her own affairs. She is certainly SO
absurdly obstinate and self opinionated as
to think so, and scorn cut-anddried pro.
gramme marked out for her by Others"
"It is all for your own good that would
at all interfere, Catherine" retorts her
aunt, with hopeless sigh. "You seem
determined 10 overlook your own best in
terests, and"
'Richmond Leslie" completes Gather
Inc, with little sarcastic laugh and a queer
flash of her gray eyes. mo such possibili-
ty as overlooking him, Aunt May. He is
quite too material and diagreeable to allow
Il; but decline to consider him as my best
interests.
"''Tis true, alas lis pity
Aud pity lis, Ills true.
You will think, no doubt; but really pre-
fer my wholesome, Independent existence
to the unwholsome idea and possibility of
being your pet fiend's slave, aunty. He
disapproyes of me, and | am quite happy
in his lisapproval, so why not whistle yopr
schemes down the wind as fIrlitless There
how wish me bon r0yGge."
MY DEAR again protests her aunt, fol-
lowing her down the steps, 81 am SO afraid
to have you go riding alonel Arab"-with
a nervous glance at the handsome black
thoroughbred prancing below the steps,
such an Rntamable creature. Pray do let
Rich accompany youS
Catherine leaps to her saddle with light
laugh. and the stable-boy regards her in
open pity, thinking;
"That vicious beast'll change her airs
afOre she gets back. er Pm goat"
Nov, aunty, pray don'tP' Catherine
says, gayly. "You have inflicted Mr.. Les
lie on.my excursion of pleasure for the last
time. Why must you torture him and me
when we are not congenial spirits. We
clash-we sneer-we quarrel, and Well,
1t is unfortunate you inYited us both to
your roof at the same time; but bear with
NV desuotism a brief while. will soon
fold up my tent like the Arabs aud silently
steal away back to my life among the mad
ding crowd" Now, my beauty
Suddenly wave of color dAshes across
her fair face, and dies away leaving her
deathly pale.
From swinging chair among the fra
grant shrubbery on the terrace a tall, stern
but singularly handsome man has risen, and
Is coming toward her.
Every word Of her conversation has